Archive for April, 2009

The Things They Say

April 28, 2009 at 12:39 am · Filed under Funny ha ha

I know I complain about my job quite a bit, but I really do like it. There is a really good vibe at my school and I get along with all the teachers there. Everyone is super nice and helpful, and I get to talk to Sarah (who was in my ward before we moved out here). The kids can be super fun and cute, too.

In many of my toddler classes, we have been reading a book and singing songs about a safari and jungle animals and the like. I decided to “take” the kids on a bear hunt. You know: “Goin’ on a bear hunt (Goin’ on a bear hunt)/ I’m not afraid (I’m not afraid)” and so on until you come to an obstacle, then it’s “Can’t go over it/ Can’t go under it/ Can’t go around it…”

Well, we got to a wide river and I said to the 2 year olds “Got to swim through it.” As most of us started to move our arms and “swim”, little J piped up with “Well, to swim I need to put on my Michael Phelps goggles.”

The assistant and I laughed so hard. Of course you need Michael Phelps goggles to swim. Silly us!!

A couple weeks ago we were about to read a book about beetles (the kids had just done stuff with lady bugs in their garden) and I asked my other 2 year old class “Who knows what a beetle is?” thinking that they would see the pictures on the front of this book and make a guess (like “a ladybug!!”).

Most of the kids start yelling things out about bugs, but sweet little R says, “I know that they sing Obladee obladah life goes on… Those are The Beatles, Sariah.”

Again, I started to laugh, then told R just how awesome he is. Those are The Beatles. Just not the beetles we were talking about!

I don’t know where the kids come up with some of these crazy things, but they sure make me laugh. And laugh for the rest of the day. And that one statement out of any of them is enough to keep me going.

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Don’t Assume You Know Me…

April 21, 2009 at 3:28 pm · Filed under Rant, politics

You know what I’m sick of? I’m sick of people assuming they know what I think or feel or believe. I’m sick of people assuming I believe in certain things or my politics are a certain way just because of the church I go to or the neighborhood I live in.

You know, the only real reason why I am even a member of a certain political party is because I wanted to vote in the presidential primaries. I do not agree with everything in that party. Nor do I agree with anything in any party. I do not let political parties define me. Why should I let you define me?

As to how I voted on certain “hot button” issues… I have many complex reasons for exactly why I voted the way I did. I do not expect to be agreed with, and most of the reasons I have are so personal I am not willing to share with everyone. I’m especially not going to share them with someone who has already made a decision and closed their mind down to any other possibilities.

I do not get into political debates. Most people do not actually discuss politics. They argue and talk and yell and do not listen to the other side. They are so busy making their point and trying to prove their point that they are not giving any thought of validity to the other side. I hate the contention that discussing politics brings about. I refuse to debate or even “discuss” politics with you because I don’t feel like my opinions are even being listened to.

I hate the assumptions that people make of me as I avoid politics. It is assumed that I don’t care as much. Or that I’m not smart enough. Or that I’m too ignorant to see “the right side” of the discussion. I am none of those. I care very deeply about my country, my state, my town. I care very deeply about people and society in general. I care about my family and how things affect my daily life. But I am not willing to get into the arguments for argument’s sake. I am smart enough. I will do research on a subject that interests me and make decisions to the best of my ability. I am not a stupid person by any means. I am also not ignorant. Just because I don’t seem to believe in the same things as you does not mean that I am ignorant.

Or naive. I was called naive recently. I am not naive. Again, I have done enough research and I have had enough experiences that I feel I can make an informed decision as well as have an opinion. Do not scoff at me because my life is on a different path than yours.

At first glance I probably do look like your typical 30-something, married, mother, Mormon, Arizona, white woman. At at first glance, my beliefs may reflect that, also. But everything is far more complex and deep. Don’t assume you know me and lump me into your narrow categories. You don’t know anything about me.

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Where Am I?

April 21, 2009 at 9:34 am · Filed under My Crazy Mind

Last Friday morning I took the kids to the park to play with their little friends. The moms there were surprised to see me, I think, as we hadn’t been to the park in about two weeks. We had been going every morning. “Have you been busy?” I was asked. “Where have you been lately?”

I just shrugged and said, “No, I just kind of went in a hole and stayed there. Hopefully coming out now.”

And, in case any of you were wondering, that’s why I haven’t been around here much, either. Yeah, I get on Facebook and play a couple games and comment on a couple of status updates, but that’s a lot quicker than keeping up my blog and keeping up with everyone else’s blogs. I’m just not feeling motivated right now. I apologize.

So… I’m crawling out of my hole, and once this house is clean (I have GOT to find the mail key and the pool key!!) I have lots of pictures to show you guys and lots of stuff to tell you. Nothing important. Just stuff that I’m interested in and think that you should be, too. Because I know you’re all sitting on the edge of your seats, checking my blog every day saying, “Come on, Sariah! My life just isn’t complete without stories of your wonderful life!!!!” ;)

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Quality Care

April 8, 2009 at 3:26 pm · Filed under Family, health

Poor little Parker. He’s had a little bit of a cough the last few days. It was getting worse yesterday morning, and when he woke up from his nap at 3 pm, he was barking and had a fever. If you are like me, as soon as you hear that bark you know it’s croup. Because he felt so hot (no, I don’t know where my thermometer is), and because it was so late in the day, I decided to just call the doctor’s office and see if I could get him in. Otherwise I knew it would be a loooooooong night.

We were able to get in at 4:30, and sure enough, he was diagnosed with croup. Now, I always thought croup was congestion and a build up of yucky stuff. Yes, “yucky” is a proper medical term (when you’re a mommy). How could I have had three boys and countless cases of croup with those boys and not know that it’s just a swelling that occurs???? Their airways are too small, and that’s why they get that barking cough. If we get that sickness, we get laryngitis. Essentially.

Anyway, to bring down the swelling Parker was given a steroid shot. By bedtime, he was back to being normal, active, happy Parker. And he’s been fine all day today. We haven’t even needed the prescription we were given.

The best part, however, was a couple hours ago. I received a call from the doctor (okay, PA, but close enough). She was just thinking about Parker and wanted to check and see how he was doing.

That’s right. The doctor CALLED to CHECK on my son!! Who does that??? I’m so in love right now. This is what I consider quality health care!!

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Class Newsletter

April 3, 2009 at 4:21 pm · Filed under Family

Aiden just got home from school with his packet of homework for the coming week. Usually his teacher includes a newsletter, but this week the teacher had the students do the letter. In the center of the page are the words “Dear Parents…”, and there are four short letters from kids in the class. I wish I had a scanner so I could just show you guys the letter, but I don’t, so will just have to write it out for you. Here are each of the letters (spelling as they did):

“We are having a butterflies unit. All the kids that want a butterfly they need to bring Three Dallars next week. By Maizie”

“We need lots of snack for the class and mrs. s— needs more paper for copies. It would be nice for mrs. s—. If you send some to her. By Kristofer.”

“Dear parents we selebrated my birthday on Friday. The class wrote what i would get for my birthday. Then the class drew a pictrue fo what they wrote. bye, Sydney”

And now, for Aiden’s contribution:

“in Math we are counting money. in word study we learned to drop thy y. By Aiden who’s dad is from canada”

And he drew a picture of a Canadian dime.

Aiden asked what I was laughing about, and I said “Your letter is hilarious!” Aiden said, “Well, I like things from Canada, eh!”

That’s right. He said, “Eh.” When I laughed at that, he said, “What? Sometimes I like to use the Canadian word EH.”

I’m still laughing.

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Silver Threads

April 3, 2009 at 8:56 am · Filed under My Crazy Mind

When I was younger I used to say that when my hair went grey I hoped it would be all silver. Not the dull grey or the white that most people get, but the shiny silver hair that some people get. I thought the silver hair was pretty and different, and it would be kind of fun to have shiny silver hair.

I’m 32 years old and I don’t think that’s old enough, but I am totally going grey. All my grey hairs are shiny and silver. You would think I’d be excited about it, but I’m not. The light catches the shiny silver just right, and that’s all you can see. I have tons and tons of my normal, boring, brown hair, but because of the shine all I can focus on is the silver. And it’s everywhere. I can’t afford to dye my hair (heck, I can’t even afford to get my hair cut right now! I haven’t had a hair cut in over 2 years!! Not even a trim! Yes, it is that bad.) so I just have to suck it up. I was pulling any grey hairs I find, but now there are just too many.

You know, when I was young I used to joke that I wanted to be a fat, Italian mama. I got the fat and mama part right.

Side note: Don’t you dare call me “Mama”. I hate that. My kids have never been allowed to call me “Mama.” Always “Mom” or “Mommy”. That’s it. No other variations. I would accept a “Mum” if we had the right accent, but we don’t. I mostly just hate hate hate Mama. So don’t try it, don’t refer to me that way in front of my kids, nothing. Thank you.

So here I am, in my 30’s, I’m fat, I’m a mother, I have Italian blood (but that’s it… sorry Mom), and I have shiny silver hair. What else did I say about myself when I was younger? Who knew I’d be making predictions? And why couldn’t my hopes for being a rich and famous flute player with a flat in London and a house in Windsor come true?????

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